The “Liver King” May Present as a Crazy Person But His 9 Ancestral Tenets Are Actually Pretty Healthy

#4, #5, & #6 — shield, connect, cold…

In 2021, a particularly unique individual burst onto the health and fitness scene.

A leathery-skinned modern-day barbarian brandishing a granite six pack and referring to himself (in the 3rd person) as “Liver King.”

But even more unique than his look, are his health, fitness, and nutrition philosophies.

He eats raw liver, testicles, and waxes poetic about 9 primitive habits known as the “Ancestral Tenets”.

The key to unlocking your truest, most primal self.

After amassing millions of followers and being one of the most controversial figures in the health and fitness industry, people are beginning to question if it’s all just a gimmick. Or is there value in what he’s selling?

Here’s why Liver King’s message is actually a positive one, even though he presents as a crazy cult leader.

Let’s get into it.

His real name is Brian Johnson.

The spear-wielding primal you see in the image above is really just a simple pharmacist turned entrepreneur from San Antonio, Texas.

Before blowing the doors off of Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube through irresistibly odd and entertaining videos, Brian was the founder of the nutritional supplement company, “Ancestral Supplements.”

And before that, he was an awkward pre-teen who was bullied incessantly for his small stature.

Here’s a brief history of Brian Johnson — before he went primal.

Brian’s father passed away when he was a baby. As a result, he had no stable father figure in his life to guide his path.

Growing up, Brian, his mother, and older brother moved around a lot. Brian sought out companionship from other kids his age, but was shy, and found it hard to make friends.

He was also undersized, making him an easy target for bullying. He shared on “The Diary Of A CEO” podcast:

“I was tiny… I knew I looked different and I got the sh*t kicked out of me every single day… I was terrified.”

As a pre-teen, one of Brian’s stepfathers gifted him a bench press. He began working out and quickly found it gave him the sense of control his life had been missing.

By age 16, he developed an impressive physique and the kids at school began to accept him. In fact, they envied him.

With a newfound sense of self-worth, Brian navigated high school, eventually graduating from Texas Tech University with a degree in biochemistry.

It was this early childhood adversity and a thesis on supplemental nutrition that would pave the way for Brian’s future $100 million per year supplement empire.

Or should I say, Liver King’s.

The “Liver King” character is genius marketing.

But apparently, it’s not a character.

When asked about his “real” identity, Liver King always responds the same way:

“Liver King ate Brian Johnson.”

Most people look at Liver King’s lifestyle and think it’s a marketing gimmick. And to be fair, everything Liver King does, screams gimmick.

But, according to Liver King, he’s not playing a character. He’s acting now as his most authentic self, after taking extreme ownership of his life.

Liver King is the representation of Brian’s truest, most primal self.

And he believes anyone with the willingness to take massive action can too unlock their inner primal — through 9 Ancestral Tenets.

But more on that later.

Apparently, he’s been living as a primal for years, but resisted sharing his lifestyle on social media. That is, until his youngest son, Rad, was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder called “PANDAS”.

After seeing his son suffer and ultimately be cured by a simple change in diet, he felt moved to share his knowledge him the world. To help others in similar situations.

So, in mid-2020, Liver King hired a social media team to help him deliver his message to the world. After a rocky start, they eventually pinpointed how to make his content go viral.

The answer: More meat and more strength.

Thus, Liver King’s crazy kettlebell-swinging, sled-pulling, meat-feasting lifestyle was catapulted onto the home screens of millions across the world.

Liver King’s core philosophies.

Liver King’s daily routine is wild, to say the least.

So much so that the whole of the fitness industry points to steroid use. Something he adamantly denies.

Many fitness influencers have done breakdowns of Liver King’s physique, claiming as though it’s not possible for any human (primal or otherwise) to maintain a physique like his, naturally.

Some have even gone as far as to say that he has ab implants.

But regardless of what he is or isn’t taking, one thing is for certain. Liver King is one dedicated (and unique) individual.

Scrolling through any of Liver King’s social media profiles, you’ll find a smorgasbord of weights, chains, feats of strength, and mountains of meat. Always prepared by “Liver King chef, Chef Lionel”.

But he’s most known for his love of organ meat — particularly, liver.

He tears into giant chunks of raw liver with his teeth, drinks cups of blood, and regularly brings raw testicles to podcast appearances as gifts. He waxes poetic about the benefits of eating organ meat through catchy slogans like, “Liver is king” and, “Why eat vegetables when you can eat testicles?”

He even touts liver as being the single most powerful of 9 foundational primal habits, he calls the Ancestral Tenets:

1. Sleep
2. Eat
3. Move
4. Shield
5. Connect
6. Cold
7. Sun
8. Fight
9. Bond

Liver King is an extremist. He uses shock content to pull you in but his motives are (seemingly) positive.

His mission is best summarized with this quote from his website:

“Every man, woman, and child has the right to be strong, healthy and happy (autoimmune-free, eczema-free, allergy-free, fatigue-free and so on). To live life with robust energy and biological resilience. To go from mere existence in life, to discovering that which makes life worth living.”

On any of his numerous podcast appearances, he shares what he believes to be the major problems modern humans face today:

• Fatigue
• Infertility
• Depression
• Autoimmune disorders

He believes all of which can be cured through practicing the 9 Ancestral Tenets. Tenets which also account for Liver King’s most unique lifestyle choices, such as:

• Never wearing a shirt
• Not brushing his teeth
• Never wearing deodorant
• Sleeping on a wooden board
• Never having his phone near his private parts

But where did these practices come from? And are they backed by any real evidence?

What Liver King eats — and why.

After his son, Rad, was diagnosed with “PANDAS”, Liver King and his wife, Barbara (also known as “Liver Queen”), searched far and wide for answers.

They came across a book called “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Morell, which focuses on an ancestral (whole food) diet — similar to paleo. In one interview, Liver King said:

“We cut out all the processed foods, we cut out all the liquid calories, the seed oils. We just went to whole foods, chiefly liver and bone marrow. Anything that made sense.”

After changing his diet, his son’s condition improved. It was through this experience that Liver King decided to take his message worldwide.

In an interview with GQ, Liver King shared that he eats around 1 pound of raw liver per day but admits it’s “way too much for most organ novices.”

Instead, he suggests eating 2–3 ounces twice a week.

In a nutshell, Liver King’s primal diet involves:

• Whole foods (non-processed)
• Animal protein (all parts of the animal)
• Animal fats (bone marrow, grass-fed butter, raw milk, etc.)
• Low carb (and no vegetables)

Essentially, it’s a paleo diet with the extreme addition of nose-to-tail meats (organs, bone marrow, tallow, etc.). Liver King likes to add maple syrup to organs to dress up the flavour.

Liver King also has a disdain for vegetables — citing their defence toxins as the reason why he avoids them. He’s seen literally tossing salads (throwing them in the air) in a series of videos.

Although Liver King does have a background in supplemental nutrition, he clearly states on his website:

“I’m not a hospital, I’m not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. I do, however, have a degree in biochemistry.”

Aside from its absurd packaging, Liver King’s diet is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s really a strict paleo diet.

And like his diet, the rest of Liver King’s philosophies on human optimization are extreme — but (mostly) backed by science.

Liver King’s claims are (mostly) backed by science.

Aside from being a shock-creator and extremist, Liver King is a man on a mission.

Whether you look at him as a bro scientist or not, he’s clearly done his research. His message is positive — and it seems like it’s coming from a genuine place.

Information can be seen as bullish*t or fertilizer, depending on how you look at it.

Here’s how Liver King’s 9 Ancestral Tenets can actually help you live a healthier life. When taken with a grain of salt.

1. Sleep:

Sleep is one of our most vital habits behind eating and breathing. It dictates how we feel, age, and shapes our perspectives.

On his website, Liver King writes,

“To improve your sleep, get early morning sun exposure at the same time everyday to regulate sleep / wake cycles. Finish your last meal 3 to 4 hours before bed. Enjoy the warmth of the sunset as the final environmental cue that the day is winding down.”

This is actually backed by science — and a healthy practice to adopt.

Getting sun in the early portion of the day helps your body to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. And giving your body time to digest food prior to going to sleep has been shown to improve REM sleep.

Liver King also sleeps on a wooden board covered in a thin wool blanket. This is to promote mobility and build your body to not rely on soft surfaces.

“I’ve visited primitive tribes where people who are 80 years old have no problem getting up and down from bed.”

Truth be told, I’ve actually been practicing this for years. And can personally vouch for the results.

If you’d like to sleep better, here’s a simple framework.

2. Eat:

Here’s the deal with the raw liver and testicles…

Organ meat is nutrient-rich and high in protein, making it a healthy addition to any meat-eater’s diet. And, studies show that eating organs can increase testosterone levels (although claims of it boosting fertility are inconclusive).

You don’t have to eat raw organs — and no, eating testicles will not help you grow bigger testicles, as Liver King preaches.

The core philosophy behind Liver King’s ancestral diet is to eat primarily whole and naturally-sourced foods.

“Start by dropping processed foods, seed oils and liquid calories and start incorporating whole foods.”

That said, life happens — and you’re only human. Even Liver King himself cheats once in a while — outlining a recipe for a “Barbarian Cocktail” on his website.

• Liver King also fasts once a week for 24 hours.
• And every 3 months, he does a 5-day fast.

Life is about balance. The more you can take small steps, like eating more whole foods, the better.

3. Move:

Movement is part of what makes us human. And simply moving your body more can be a powerful way to increase longevity, mood, blood flow, and brain function.

Although Liver King’s exercise regimen is extreme, the advice on his website is quite balanced:

“We recommend first thing in the morning walking for thirty minutes. Early afternoon, walking for thirty minutes. After dinner, our Tribe walks in rain, snow or shine for thirty minutes.”

If you can get outside even once per day and walk for 30 minutes, you’ll see great improvements in your life.

Lifting weights is essential for strengthening your body — even if you never win any physique competitions. It’s been shown to improve bone density, which is very important as you age.

Exercise, particularly in the early parts of the day is also a great way to wake up your body, maintain healthy hormone levels throughout the day, and contributes to better sleep.

Move more and lift weights. But you don’t need to go crazy.

4. Shield:

The shield tenet, is all about protecting yourself (and your tribe) from harmful predators.

“Instead of running from lions, nowadays we run from seed oils, excessive wifi, EMFs, and man-made poisons.”

Despite being a social media maven, Liver King doesn’t believe in excessive technology use. Something I can personally relate to.

Aside from avoiding harmful food additives, Liver King tries to avoid EMFs (Electric and Magnetic Fields). This means limiting phone usage and exposure to Wi-Fi signals.

One of Liver King’s practices is to shut off all electricity at night and place his phone in an EMF-blocking bag. He also urges you not to keep your phone next to your reproductive organs as he believes it contributes to infertility.

**Currently, there’s no conclusive evidence showing phone/wi-fi use to have long-term harmful effects on humans. But it can’t hurt to be careful.

5. Connect:

The theory behind connect, is to re-connect with the Earth.

“The earth has a slightly negative charge which provides a grounding force for our electrophysiology. With the advent of rubber shoes, cars, houses and elevated beds, we no longer come into contact with this grounding force.”

So much of modern life is spent indoors, separated from nature. But in the past, our ancestors walked around barefoot, swam in natural bodies of water, and slept on the ground.

Research shows that taking time to “ground” yourself in nature has many health benefits such as:

• Better sleep
• Reduced stress
• Increased blood flow
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved mood and energy

You can do this by:

• Lying on natural ground
• Touching soil, trees, or nature
• Walking barefoot on natural ground
• Submersing yourself in natural bodies of water

The bottom line: get outside and interact with nature.

6. Cold:

Cold-shock therapy is one of the hottest productivity trends amongst bio-hackers. And for good reason.

Introducing yourself to cold temperatures through cold showers/baths causes your body to release norepinephrine (your stress hormone) and dopamine. This creates a sense mental of focus and alertness. It’s also been shown to:

• Increase blood flow
• Decrease inflammation
• Boost immune function
• Improve mood and reduce anxiety

**But if cold showers are too intense for you, try this instead.

Consistent exposure to cold has also been shown to have positive effects on our bodies at a cellular level.

“Our potential for strength and health remains encoded in our DNA, and under certain conditions, we can genetically express the strongest, healthiest version of ourselves.”

Cold exposure also helps your body produce brown apidose tissue (or “brown fat.”) One of the benefits of brown fat is that it helps your body break down glucose and fatty tissue to regulate heat. Research shows this leads to reduced body fat and contributes to better sleep.

It’s the age-old adage of what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Liver King doesn’t wear shirts to help himself adapt to the cold. But, sitting outside in the cold, taking a cold shower/ice bath for a few minutes 2–3 times per week will suffice.

7. Sun:

Sun — one of life’s simplest pleasures.

We’re wired to love the feeling of sun on our skin as it provides us with light, essential vitamins, and lets us know when to rise/fall each day. Our brains produce serotonin when we interact with it, making us feel calm, contented, and happy.

“The vitamin D produced in the body from midday sun exposure works synergistically with the other fat-soluble vitamins A and K which helps us to remineralize our teeth, support key metabolic factors, improve energy metabolism and optimize immunity.”

Again, all of this is backed by science — sun exposure is healthy.

But Liver King takes it to the extreme.

When you first lay eyes on Liver King, you can’t help but notice his red, leathery skin. Although I’m not a doctor, it begs the question of sun damage, being that he doesn’t wear shirts and lives in the hot state of Texas.

Too much UV radiation (which the sun produces) can damage skin cells, speeding up the aging process, and lead to skin cancer. So, while sun exposure is healthy, you don’t need to go crazy.

According to professionals, 10–30 minutes of sun exposure 3–4 times per week is adequate to avoid Vitamin D deficiency.

8. Fight:

This tenet is more of a philosophy than a practice. Because, frankly, fighting rarely solves anything.

“I believe for us to really thrive, we have to possess a type of high courage to continue to fight for something meaningful, to foster an inner fire, to take real risks and to continue to create ways to win. This is how we avoid falling into a rut.”

Our brains are wired to seek out challenge. And to feel fulfilled in life, you must do challenging things. Overcoming fear, anxiety, and having the courage to persevere is what moulds you into a powerful human. And helps you appreciate life.

That said, adopting a lifestyle of combativeness is not conducive to mental health. Instead, you can challenge yourself through personal goals.

One way Liver King creates a routine of challenge in his life, is through exercise. Aside from working out 6 days a week (often 2 times per day), he has a weekly rite of passage called “The Barbarian Workout.” It involves walking 1 mile while carrying:

• 2X 70 lbs dumbells
• 2X 20 lb ankle weights
• 1X 70 pounds in a backpack

All while pulling 120lbs on a sled.

Life’s hard — embrace it.

9. Bond:

The last of the 9 tenets.

“We believed and belonged to each other, we belonged with such connection and purpose that we clearly knew our roles and goals as individuals and we knew exactly where we fit in, we knew our place in the tribe and thus knew our place in the world.”

Humans are tribal creatures. And connection to our fellow humans is one of our core needs. In fact, “love and belonging” are 3rd on Maslow’s famous “Hierarchy of Basic Human Needs.”

With depression and anxiety at an all-time high, connecting with others is more important than ever.

One of Liver King’s most endearing traits is that he’s a family man. After finding his primal partner, Liver Queen, he’s built a life around growth and connection.

Never having a father to tell him he loved him, Liver King makes sure his children know they’re loved. Each night before bed, Liver King hugs each of his kids and Liver Queen (so he can hear their heartbeat) and tells them he loves them.

It’s also clear from many of Liver King’s collaboration videos that he enjoys meeting new people and making genuine connections.

“Start by simply spending focused, present time with loved ones and friends, we’ve always needed each other and we still do!”

The benefit of human connection in our modern world cannot be overstated.

Final thoughts: I was surprised at my reaction.

The Liver King is an extremist — a provocateur.

Upon researching for this article, I was expecting to find a harmful bro-scientist spreading misinformation to sell his supplements.

But what I found instead is someone utilizing technology to spread the word about something they’re passionate about. To help people realize the best versions of themselves.

• Yes, he speaks hyperbolically.
• And yes, a lot of what he does is overkill.

But if you look past the marketing machismo, he’s spreading a positive message. Like anything in life, it’s important for all of us to do our own research before blindly following others.

That said, I will not be eating raw liver or testicles anytime soon. But, I do agree with most of Liver King’s philosophies.

Sometimes, looking back is the best way to move forward.

To summarize, you can drastically improve your quality of life by adopting simple and primitive habits such as:

1. Prioritizing sleep
2. Eating more whole foods
3. Moving your body more often
4. Avoiding processed foods and reducing screen time
5. Walking outside barefoot and interacting with nature
6. Embracing the cold every once in a while
7. Getting sunlight on your skin
8. Challenging yourself
9. Loving more

Any of these of these small habits will help you spearhead a better life. But, there’s no need to go crazy. Good day, primal.

Hudson-King, out!

Hi, I’m Hudson. I write about living healthier, happier, and more mindfully. To have stories sent directly to you, subscribe to my newsletter. 👇

💸 Here’s a free copy of The 30-Day Flexible Journaling Guide. 🧘